Sharia law, super PACs roil GOP primary

Tennessee multimillionaire Andy Miller has been warning for years about the lurking threat he says Sharia law poses to America. But this summer, his anti-Islam campaign has become the main act of a riveting Middle Tennessee congressional race, as Miller has pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into a pair of super PACs aiming to take out GOP freshman Rep. Diane Black in her Thursday primary.

Black’s sin, according to Miller, is not taking the danger of Islam seriously enough. And he has found an ideological soul mate in Lou Ann Zelenik, a tea party activist and former construction company executive who lost to Black in 2010 by a mere 283 votes.

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Zelenik launched a rematch this year. And a centerpiece of her campaign, again, is her opposition to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, a project that’s drawn national attention and cast the city of 110,000 as a hot spot of religious intolerance.

Though Black is still likely to win — she is one of the wealthiest members of Congress and has spent more than $1 million of her own funds on the race — Miller has made it less than a sure thing. His outsize role underscores the power a single donor who’s determined to advance an agenda or settle a score can wield in the post-Citizens United era of free-spending super PACs.

In an interview, Miller argued that Black refused to throw her weight against the planned mosque during her first congressional campaign two years ago. He called Black naive and dismissive of the creeping influence of Sharia law, the code of Islamic beliefs and practices, on U.S. courts.

“I don’t think she believes there is a problem with Islam,” Miller said. “She doesn’t understand it. She doesn’t care about it. She has no knowledge of it.”

“She wouldn’t entertain talk about it in the campaign in 2010,” he added. “It was a lot like the way a lot of middle-of-the-road Republicans treat Islam as the third rail of politics — they don’t want to talk about it.”

Enter Zelenik, an outspoken anti-Islamic activist.

“I will work to stop the Islamization of our society and do everything possible to prevent Sharia law from circumventing our laws and our Constitution,” Zelenik wrote on her campaign website, where she also vows to work to repeal the Democratic health care law and to oppose raising the debt ceiling.

In 2010, Zelenik accused Black of not being more outspoken against the Murfreesboro mosque. During that same race, Zelenik, a former Rutherford County, Tenn., Republican Party chairwoman, ran an online fundraising appeal asking supporters to “stand with Lou Ann against Muslim extremists.”

Miller and Zelenik developed a bond as leaders of the Tennessee Freedom Coalition, formed last year to “educate Tennesseans” about “Islamic radicalization,” among its other stated causes. He served as Zelenik’s campaign finance chairman prior to resigning from the position in late May, just weeks before he began funding TV ads against Black.

“I’ve gotten to know Lou Ann, and I know she cares about a lot of the things I care about,” Miller said.

A spokeswoman for Black dismissed Miller as “an angry multimillionaire with a personal grudge who is trying to influence a congressional election” and contended that Black had been vocal about her concerns with the construction of the Murfreesboro mosque. The spokeswoman, Jennifer Baker, said Black had recently signed on to a Republican-sponsored anti-Sharia law bill in the House.

Baker also argued that Miller’s close ties with Zelenik raise questions about whether he was coordinating his TV ads with her campaign, which would be a potential violation of federal campaign finance laws.

I commend you Ganon. Well said. We can't be free if we live in fear and we can't be brave if we attack those that are different from us. It's the opposite behavior of "Land of the Free...Home of the Brave." and unworthy of this great nation.

Gee the folks were against a mosque? Why? Of course they must be bigots which was the reason a liberal documentary maker went there to expose, but a funny thing happened while he was doing his research when he discovered the mosque was funded by radicals. Why has the MSM ignored his report? If the docurmtary had proved the MSM was right and the people in Tenn were bigots we all know every network would be covering it nonstop and Hollywood would be airing in in Art Houses nationwide. The documentary has been censored instead. Since the local media has done its job and exposed the connections of the mosque to radical islam it is no wonder why Black is in trouble and why the liberal MSM is scratching their heads wondering why?

These folks are nuts. Among other things they recently passed a resolution condeming our Republican Governor for hiring a muslim woman (who they claim is there to oversee that sharia law is implemented based on her being muslim and a bunch of false claims about her).

They also said in the same resolution Haslam should fire all Democrats and gay people.

Conservatives and Tea Party activists in Tennessee have recently pushed several Republican Party county organizations to pass resolutions criticizing the state’s Republican governor for, among other things, employing Muslims, gay people, and Democrats.

“The action or actions of the Republican elected Governor of the Great State of Tennessee and his administration have demonstrated a consistent lack of conservative values,” a resolution passed by the Stewart County Republican Party reads in part, according to a copy obtained by The Tennessean. (The Tennessean obtained two of the resolutions.)

Three county party chairmen — from Stewart County, Williamson County, and Humphreys County — confirmed to TPM that the resolutions had passed. Kyle Mallory, chairman of the Stewart County GOP, said that, all together, nine counties have passed related, though not identical, resolutions. (One county chairman is apparently holding the resolution for revision.) The resolutions, according to Mallory, address concerns ranging from the governor’s appointment process to “other conservative issues within the executive branch here in Tennessee.”

I commend you Ganon. Well said. We can't be free if we live in fear and we can't be brave if we attack those that are different from us. It's the opposite behavior of "Land of the Free...Home of the Brave." and unworthy of this great nation

Ganon Party: N/A

Reply #1 Jul. 30, 2012 - 12:28 AM EST

On behalf of everybody with any sense at all in Tennessee, I apologize for these insane bigots who have taken root in our legislature.

In my own defense, I didn't vote for any lunatics who want to imprison muslims for having prayer mats and running around Tennessee burning down mosques and islamic cultural centers.

And you wonder why we have so many things named after Nathan Bedford Forrest (founder of KKK)? It's just sad.

The Tennessee Taliban politicians fight over who is the most zealous. If their concern were actually about the impact of "radical Islam" on the USA, I might listen. Instead they are rabid "Israel Firsters".

--- Baker also argued that Miller’s close ties with Zelenik raise questions about whether he was coordinating his TV ads with her campaign, which would be a potential violation of federal campaign finance laws. ---

but a funny thing happened while he was doing his research when he discovered the mosque was funded by radicals

Not exactly.

According to your USA Today link, Eric Allen Bell, the documentary filmmaker, concluded his research in Murfreesboro in 2010 when he returned to California to seek funding. But, he couldn't find any money to back his project. He didn't switch ppositions until 2012.

In November 2011, Bell wrote "paranoid and psychotic nonsense. . . sells." Bell operates one social website on mysticism (www.globalone.tv), and a different social website for Islamaphobes (www.globalinfidel.tv/) It is an odd combination.

You don't need above average intelligence to reasonably suspect that Mr. Bell is just in it for the money.

AMAZING how this propaganda lie has taken root in this country. Anyone considering this should simply make a flow chart of all the heads of every important committee in our entire government. You will QUICKLY and without a doubt see that this islamophobic BS is just that... complete and utter camel caca.

Unless politicians like Chummer, Lieberman, Feinstein and even Clinton herself are closed islamic brotherhood converts... I'd say this story's origin is israel and her influence on our daily lives from the wars we fight for her benefit and the tens of billions in free money this country give's her .. they get the welfare checks.. we get the bill.

yeah islam has infiltrated congress... that's why we are FUBARing their countries.

What a depressing state the US is in, you have politicians arguing whether Muslims are bad or REALLY bad. They love to talk ABOUT Muslims but you'll notice they never ask American Muslims in Tennesee for their thoughts.

“I will work to stop the Islamization of our society and do everything possible to prevent Sharia law from circumventing our laws and our Constitution,” Zelenik wrote on her campaign website, where she also vows to work to repeal the Democratic health care law and to oppose raising the debt ceiling.

Damn'd fool - as if Sharia law will EVER become America law - only an idiot would think so. You make Tenneessee look like a backward state full of Christian evangelicials - OH WAIT! THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS.

I detest Diane Black as well so may I suggest a duel and may the last person standing run (and get defeated) - although defeat in this state isn't going to happen I fear!

Hey! Algebra is an Islamic-Arab invention that was imported to the West. High school algrebra classes are ALSO an evil force of foreign influence. I say do away with it! We need an AMERICAN way of dealing with variables, and such.

Did anybody else notice that Black has spent more then 1 million dollars on her own campaign? I'm not sure what a representative of TN makes per year but I doubt it's a million. So why would she spend that much money on a job that by all accounts wouldn't earn that back? Something to think about for the people that are going to be voting in her district. She obviously plans on make that money up some other way. Religious freedom is an essential part of this country until it interferes with the religious freedom of others. In muslim countries, religious freedom is typically squashed. So those of you that believe in religious freedom, just remember that sharia law does not offer the same option. It's a double edged sword. If we allow all people the freedom of religion, the way is open to the destruction of that freedom by the practice of it.

THE 'SOUTHERN' PATHOLOGY apparently is driven by FEAR and LOATHING (and no small amount of IGNORANCE!) - initially by the reality of a pigmented President in the White House, and now by the hypothetical threat of SHARIA, Islamic Law, WHICH IS A TOTAL NEGATION OF OUR CONSTITUTION.....

Wonder how much Alex was paid to write this promo piece for Black? He should be down in the grass roots because that's where he will hear the truth about Black's un-likeability. Alex clearly doesn't understand the issues in Tennessee as well as Zelenik and Miller do, and Miller's money is well-spent.

Black is so un-statesman like, that she won the last election and then sued Zelenik for something Black claimed was said during the campaign that "damaged" her reputation. This is just so low for anyone who is supposed to be a winner, that it would make anyone question her capability as a legislator.

Alex assumes Black's victory. Black has a powerful opponent, and one who clearly is a better Statesman. I woudn't put money on Black. She has stooped to the lowest level one could, in politics.